Ray Lewis almost enrolled at Florida State, but the Seminoles ran out of scholarships

With Ray Lewis having ridden off into the sunset with a Super Bowl victory, it’s time for columnists to spill all the many stories (good and bad) they have about the future Hall of Famer.

This particular story involves just how close arguably the University of Miami’s biggest star came to never playing for the Hurricanes.

In a story on Tallahassee.com chronicling “fun facts” about FSU’s 1993 recruiting class, there’s a revelation that Lewis was all but set to enroll at FSU. But because he got his test scores a week later than another player, he was told there wasn’t any room for him in the class.

FSU coaches had told two prospects who were still waiting on their test scores that the first to qualify academically would get the final scholarship. Tight end Melvin Pearsall earned the test score — and the scholarship.
The other guy also earned the test score, but found out a week later than Pearsall. He even showed up on campus ready to enroll for classes when FSU coaches told him they no longer had a scholarship available.

You might recognize that player when you watch the Super Bowl today: It was Ray Lewis.

Ray Lewis went on to be Ray Lewis and FSU went on to win the National Championship that year. So it all kinda worked out.

But knowing what we know now, you can’t help to question taking Melvin Pearsall over Ray Lewis.